This has nothing to do with how bad he is at being a Congressman. Trying to get laid on Craigslist is not a crime.

It’s one thing when anti-gay conservatives get caught fucking other dudes but unless Chris Lee has been pushing legislation to making cheating on your wife illegal, this is really doesn’t concern anyone but him and his wife.

Do you think that someone elaborately set up a male model to take a picture of himself in a mirror like some Emo kid on MySpace, then flawlessly photoshop Chris Lee’s head onto the body, then sent it from Chris Lee’s personal email address to a DC area woman on Craigslist?

As far as I know (and based on the fact he’s a Republican I could easily be wrong), Lee has never come out and said anything related to the morality of sex outside of marriage so you can’t just slap that belief on him and call it a day. For all we know, his wife is completely cool with him getting some on the side.

When Spitzer was brought down in hookergate, we could point to legislation he passed to crack down on hookers that made him a hypocrite. When Larry Craig was getting blown in men’s rooms, we could point to a career based around vilifying homosexuals that made him a hypocrite. These people did things they tried to ban others from doing. Dragging DADT into it is a bit of a stretch.

Stuff like this just pisses me off because the left likes to ignore how hypocritical it gets about the bedroom antics of politicians. If Chris Lee wants to fuck other people on the side and has taken absolutely no steps to stop other people from doing the exact same thing, then what business is it of ours? It’s about practicing the tolerance you preach.

You really think a shirtless picture even registers on the same level of what sketchy internet hookups are like? 20 bucks says I could post a personal on Craigslist claiming to be a female and end up with an inbox full of unsolicited cock shots within the hour. I didn’t say he wasn’t open game as a public figure, all I said was that I feel bad for him because he’s being persecuted for what he does behind closed doors.

It’s his life, his marriage and it has zero impact on any of our lives. I’m sure you’ll pile on this because it’s advantageous to the political team you play for but it doesn’t make it right.

Well, Jon, I think you’re wrong, and Lee’s support of DADT and his support for recent attempts to legislate away the right of women to seek legal and safe abortions means that he indeed uses his own morality as a guide viz. his constituents. Most Democrats, on the other hand, don’t do that. So there’s a distinct difference between the teams, which is why those teams exist in the first place.

Chris Lee fucking other people on the side may or may not be anybody’s business, but since he has made other people’s morality judgments his business, it’s hardly his place to say.

And what does tolerance have to do with anything? I quite clearly tolerate Chris Lee’s apparent infidelity. I also mock it. What’s your point?

In any event, when Eric Massa was busy creeping out and tickling his interns, I was initially defensive of him, but once it was pretty much confirmed to be true, I went along with the shunning of him. This despite the fact that he never introduced very much anti-creepy-tickling legislation.

JonSplett has it exactly right. Of course, to refute what he’s saying everyone will search for some example of something Chris Lee said that makes it seem like he’s all hard-core family values guy, but he’s not and we all know it. He’s a business guy Republican, not a crazy Christian Republican.

Also, he’s not a billionaire. Not even close. He’s a multi-millionaire.

Oh, well. Too bad this multi-millionaire didn’t have the good judgment to not troll for pussy on Craigslist, sending shirtless pics to women claiming to be a divorced lobbyist. That’s some bang-up good judgment, there.

Splett’s answer is the right one. Cheating on your wife and DADT are connected because they both have to do with sex? Kinda? That’s beyond sketchy. Lee is hardly the banner carrier of evangelicals – he’s the “run it like a business” guy, remember.

And Massa was accused of sexual harrassment, which is illegal, so Alan you can pat yourself on the back for being on the right side of the law, I suppose, but cheating isn’t illegal.

So, he lives a certain lifestyle. Whatevs. If you want to be outraged (OUTRAGED!), be outraged your elected official is dumb enough to obviously think he won’t get caught, or lie about it after.

His support of DADT and anti-abortion funding represents the wishes of the majority of his district, and as he is elected by them, that is how he should vote. But what he does at home, or Washington, is his own business and it matters not to me who he bangs.

No, a congressman isn’t a pollster. He ought not mindlessly vote with the “wishes of the majority of his district”. I wonder what the majority of his district will think, however, about his infidelity? I’m sure it’ll go over wonderfully.

Sending a half naked picture of yourself flexing (gawd I hope he’s just flexing and not doing something else) with you real name in an email shows a rather profound lack of judgment in the age of Google, especially when you are a public servant and a married man.

“It’s one thing when anti-gay conservatives get caught fucking other dudes but unless Chris Lee has been pushing legislation to making cheating on your wife illegal, this is really doesn’t concern anyone but him and his wife.”
FAIL.
I attended campaign events during which Lee paraded his entire family before the throng and not once, NOT ONCE, did he say or do anything to negate the impression of a happily married family man that sort of thing gives. So, that makes him a liar by omission, at least. And if you’re cool with your congressman being comfortable with lying to his constituents to get re-elected, then that’s your prerogative. Sorta says the wrong thing about him to me, though. If he didn’t use his family and marital status as part of his appeal to voters, none of this would matter.

All this with the qualifier; should it turn out to be true. I think that’s what needs to be kept in mind until everything falls out.

It matters not a whit if Rep. Lee hasn’t been out on the front lines of the cultural wars, marching with the Warriors for Christ. By dint of the “R” after his name, he supports and is an active, voting participant in the Republican effort to strip away rights from LGBTs, pregnant women, poor people in general, et. al. He voted for a Speaker of the House who has an abysmal record on civil rights. Rep. Lee doesn’t get to run away from the ugly faction that now rules his party just because he’s been quieter than some.

So because he has a small picture of his family on his website, that is what he “ran”on? This doesn’t affect anyone but Lee and his family, and it seems that the only ones casting some moral judgement are the ones who complain the loudest when others do the same.

“All you people want is MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE!! Leave Chris alone! You’re lucky he even performs for you bastards! Leave Chris Lee alone!!!!” I think that sums up what Congressman Lee’s supporters are trying to say from beneath their blankets.

@Magoo- Yep. That’s exactly it. I’m a huge Chris Lee supporter. That’s the only reason anyone could ever have a problem with stories like these. Huge conservative. Just look back at all the crazy, right wing rants I’ve written in the comment section over the years. I must be in the bag for the guy.

Nevermind the fact I’m registered in his district, voted against him and generally oppose every single one of his policies.

Bill Clinton getting blown in the Oval Office had absolutely nothing to do with his ability to be President and Chris Lee trying to get laid on the internet has as much to do with his ability to be a congressman.

I believe playing politics with people’s consensual sex lives is wrong across the board and it’s a god damn shame Democrats don’t have the class to stand by that principal as well.

@ Eric – So the stain (pun intended) on Clinton over the Lewinski scandal was deserved due to his establishment of DADT? That’s where the link is? Are you holding every cheating politician (do we even know if he cheated, or did he just get caught with his shirt off?) who voted for DADT in ’93 to the same bizarre connection of legislating morality? There’s a stretch, and then there’s this. Neither party is a monolith. Lee is as non-evagelical of a Republican as you’ll find. The glove doesn’t fit.

I really don’t care who anyone has sex with. However, lying to your family and possibly destroying it (very publicly) calls into question a person’s judgment. That may not be a thing you look at when you vote, but I do.

Oh, spare me, Jon. He misrepresented himself to the voters, knowing fully well that if they knew him as the horny, ‘divorced’ sexy-time Craig’s Lister shown in these photos, he wouldn’t have been within pantie-sniffing distance of office. And the kerfuffle about Clinton was chiefly due to his lying about it, not as much about the act itself.
You keep trying to ignore the fact that this puts his veracity in question not only because of the electioneering fibs but because he’s also lying to the woman (women?) and probably his wife. Lying and misrepresentation has everything to do with his fitness to legislate.
When people misrepresent their personal bio and background for political gain then “playing politics with people’s consensual sex lives is” completely within bounds. And STOP trying to make this about the act of trolling for poon when its about being untruthful and sneaky. Or do you think those attributes have ‘much to do with his ability to be a congressman”?

@ Brian – no, I’m holding the hypocritical Rep. Lee to task for both his direct votes for legislation that attacks civil rights protections and promotes discrimination against minority groups and supporting the larger party effort to return this country back to the 50’s. The 1850’s.

Oh, come on Bruce. I’m dismissing any critique based upon Lee’s supposed moralizing, which didn’t exist. His votes on DADT are only linked to cheating on his wife in the most tenuous way. But that doesn’t mean lying to your family and constituents is good, or that he showed good judgement. Lying is bad in politicians no matter his votes on anything. I’ve never seen anyone resign so fast, so I have to assume there is far more to this story.

I bet there is more to this than just this single CL interaction. No Congressman would resign over just this. Im thinking tip of the iceberg: He seems like he’s been around the block. I wonder if a little more snooping might find him on Match.com et al.

Oh Brian, can’t you Republicans ever take a joke? I never liked Lee because he was a chickenhawk. I don’t give a rats ass what he does in his spare time. At least he showed some guts and resigned. For his part, Clinton was a draft dodging chickenhawk and he didn’t have any guts when caught with his pants down

Well, Bruce, there is this funny phenomenon on the internets, where nobody can tell when anyone is making a joke, unless its from Tom Dolina. So I can only take what I get, so to speak. I have a sense of humor somewhere, around here, I’m sure. I just had it a second ago.

All I can really say is “wow”. What was going through his mind when he used his own real name and his own picture for this. Like other said, did he really think he would get away with this? I know they think they are untouchable but this seems to go way beyond that.

Any idea whether this could be in some way related to the recent Lee household move from Clarence to Amherst (although it’s kinda moot, now)–? Bob McCarthy mentioned that on Sunday, but just took Lee’s word for the reason.

So here we have yet another white male Republican business type acting badly. We’ve seen too much of this in WNY, shirts on or off. Whadda we had, Volker, Paladino, Lee, Collins, Davis — even Golisano, with his petulant press conference/confrontation at the BOE. Acting in ways and saying things that we’re embarrassed to have to explain to our kids — all while preaching family values and giving that “I’m no politician, just a Mr. Smith-goes-to-Washington business man who only cares about looking out for you.”

East of us, word is Syracuse/Onondaga County are experiencing a governmental breath of fresh air, now that the county and city are both led by dynamic women, who are — gasp — working closely together for the common good instead of tripping over their own egos. That’s what I’d like to see in WNY politics. I’d love to see a dynamic woman candidate run to fill Lee’s seat. And while we’re at it, may I have Kathy Hochul for County Executive — please?!

Doug Turner was live blogging and said that the governor would likely appoint a Republican to the seat. I’m just Joe Schmo from East Kokomo but even I know that the governor appoints senators; congressional seats have to be filled by special election. So I asked Doug what he did for a living. My comment never went up. Musta been a technical malfunction.

Chris Lee made the decision of his own volition, based on his own information. Nobody forced him out. The evidence against him must have been considerable; it was a very quick decision. I won’t attempt to second guess the man based on zero information.

@ Brian – I meant to respond to your earlier comment re: Clinton – I know it’s fun happy times for any conservative to trip down Memory Lane and remember when an insane Gingrich-led House led this country down a yearlong waste of time, money and resources chasing after Clinton’s penis, but, really….do you honestly think there’s any point throwing the Clinton investigation at me? I thought Clinton acted recklessly and stupidly, giving his GOP enemies exactly the opening they needed to mount their insane campaign to overturn the result of the 1996 presidential election. President Clinton gets no defense from me, either on the Lewinsky saga or, more to the point, DADT which, along with welfare reform, was a real black mark on his adminstration.

Ah, nostalgia. But, let’s turn to the here and now. What has the GOP-led House exactly done for this country since they’ve taken over? Other than 1 resignation and no legislation passed into law? The new Republican majority in the House seems more concerned with forcing rape victims into childbirth and throwing millions of children off health coverage while adding $200 billion to the deficit that Republicans are so fond of being concerned over…and, oh yeah, they seem to be busy surfing Craigslist for something on the side. When are the Republicans going to do something about jobs?

@ Mike – NY-26 has been solidly Republican for a century and a half. In the past 153 years, Republicans have held this seat for all but 16 years. Hopefully, the good voters of the 26th district will realize that the last two GOP representatives they’ve sent to Congress either covered up sexual abuse of minors or were actively trying to get some action themselves.

I’m a lifelong liberal democrat- but I really like Lee. He answered every email I sent him and his aides actually called me to clarify my opinion. So, I suppose I’m disappointed he’s going. Eric Massa – now Chris Lee!!! Although I disagreed with him on policy, as a constituent, I felt he was attentive.

It’s funny how all the GOP blogs are saying it’s “not that big a deal” but if it was a Democrat they’d be all over him! Isn’t he against gay marriage? Ironic that he doesn’t believe in the sanctity of marriage for straight people either. He pushes ethics and yet has none… typical empty suit. It’s such a loss for WNY that we send someone like him. I hope Kryzan or Davis don’t try to run and are another waste of a seat. Can we get someone who’s never been in politics and isn’t an idiot please?

According to Gawker, Lee identified himself as a “divorced lobbyist” — not true then, but perhaps soon. And then, as “classy.” Meh…not so much — unless you count having the class to promptly resign without drama or recrimination.

BTW, I agree with Taj Mahal who liked Lee even if not his politics. I talked with him for nearly a mile on the Flight 3407 walk (about a year ago) and found him very engaging and personable.

@ Eric – my only point with Clinton was that Lewinsky was a problem because he lied, not because he was cheating on Hillary while simultaneously supporting DADT. There was no conflicting hypocritical morality issue. There was a lying issue. Its the cover up, not the crime, as always. And on the new GOP Congress, they’ve been inpower about 2 or 3 weeks, so I’m going to give them a little more time.

Lee should have pulled an Eric Massa and hung around to see if some shill would endorse him as an “honorable man”–then quit and make the guy eat his words. That’s how things work in WNY.

I can’t help thinking that this is pretty small beer compared to Barney Frank’s “personal lifestyle choice” bleeding over into his public “service”. You know–getting mega campaign bucks from your boyfriend’s (Herb Moses) employer (Fannie Mae), in exchange for protecting him from investigation and promoting deregulation of Fannie Mae.

@jhorn – I had the same thought, but note that Lee conducted his Craigslist transactions (note that in the emails he admits to previous trysts) in the District of Columbia and surrounding states. Therefore, New York’s adultery statute wouldn’t apply.

That Republican Congressional District was tailored for Tom Reynolds to have a seat in perpetuity. then scandal and the lure of bigger power and money lured him into Lobbydom.
Now Chris Lee follows him but poor Chris was not in Washington long enough to get baptized in the new form of J Street and will had to retreat to his mansion to pray.
It is the new world of speed and constant connectivity that betrays the stupid who wander from the path. Is it not amazing that Spitzer and he were both caught in a media that they both should have been are of exposure.
Perhaps Lee wanted to get exposed.
In an another vein politicians who come up the hard way through local elections and tough competition develop very thick skins and eventually are impervious to scandal. Poor Chris was too new and too sensitive to survive his very first serious test. Only the fittest survive in that world.
Don’t worry about that seat. Over 3/4 of the District is over 50 and most vote straight line Republican. I did canvassing there years ago and one 80 some year old assured me if Adolf Hitler was on the ticket he would still vote Republican.
I can just imagine what horror the Rpublicans and Conservatives will deliver to the country next. Collins can’t afford to lose any of his allies so the search will focus on bottom feeders.
Tome Reynolds didn’t even live in the District when he was first elected so maybe the search can be state wide. Paladino’s chance has arrived!

Chris Lee’s behavior is pertinent to evaluating his suitability as a leader. A person’s interactions with other people give insight into how they will behave in a position of trust. A man who lies to his wife and family can lie to anyone.

I had the same thought …Therefore, New York’s adultery statute wouldn’t apply.

Another factor is the emails indicate adultery hadn’t taken place between these two. Apparently they never even met in person. Is attempted adultery illegal?

I wonder if NY’s adultery statute was even mentioned here regarding the long time Assembly member whose emails became public on another local web site a couple years ago. Albany is in NYS, and that apparently was an actual affair or more than one. If the adultery statute didn’t come to mind then but did this time, that’s sort of interesting.

Btw, did anyone at WNYM really criticize SH much about it to anywhere near the extent you did Lee? If you did make any big deal about it back then, I either missed it or forgot.

I’m not complaining if you didn’t. Double standards are a very common part of human nature. Just because it differs from how I recall it, I did find it surprising in Comment 20 that you said you’d been critical/mocking of SH. What was the mocking back then?

If this Chris Lee ran and won on a business platform, you would think he would have the ability to run his business of adultery a little better- this guy couldn’t punch his way out of a paper bag.
He really ran on the “my Daddy is rich and powerful, and I go to church and hate those smelly poor people so I’m a good Christian” platform which seems to appeal to so many of the brain dead in this country.

Face it kids- the “family values” platform is codespeak for Wide stance Larry- “I’m a closet gay who soundly condemns gay people”, Porno Pladino “Since I’m pro-life, when I get my mistress pregnant after an evening of rascist and bestial e-mail for foreplay, I won’t let her get an abortion”,
and David Vitter “Yep, I’m pro-life- that’s why I go to prostitutes- regular gals might want to have a baby, but prostitutes, when they have an abortion , its THEIR sin, not mine, thank the Lord” –

I was in DC while this was going on. We’ve been asking Odumbo for 2 years where the jobs he SAID THERE WERE—-Crickets.
R’s have been in charge for a month—-???? Eric S—Your momma wore Army Boots—-Check your WW1 History.

[…] (remember, kids…vegetables are sensual, people are sensuous). Ever since the news broke about Rep. Chris Lee’s adventures on Craigslist, it’s gotten a wee bit steamy in here. In honor of the amorous (and newly unemployed) […]